Scoop attachment for lift trucks



y 1954 R. ALLEN 2,679,330

SCOOP ATTACHMENT FOR LIFT TRUCKS Filed July 51 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. Robert L. Allen BY GEO QIPM ATTORNEY y 1954 R. L. ALLEN 7 2,679,330

scoop ATTACHMENT FOR LIFT TRUCKS Filed July 31, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F mm,

INVENTOR. Robert L, Allen ATTORNEY Patented May 25, 1954 UNITED STATES TENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

upright, vertical trackway forming part of the tower at the front of the truck, a carriage movable along said trackway, means for tilting said tower and trackway, and means for moving said carriage up and down said tower. A load receiver is mounted on the carriage of said tower and is tilt-able with the latter, and means are provided whereby said load receiver may be tripped for pivotal movement to unload as required and then returned manually or mechanically to starting position. It was a recognition of the diniculties and short comings of this prior art which lead to the conception and development of the present invention.

Accordingly among the objects of the present invention is the provision of a novel assemblage for mountin the load receiver on the carriage of a tower lift truck in manner making possible the holding of said receiver in substantially horizontal position to engage the load, for tilting said receiver upwardly to load-lifting position when loaded, for holding it in this latter position during load lifting and transportation, and for permitting said receiver to tilt downwardly for load discharge.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an assemblage of the above mentioned character which is of extremely simple and inexpensive construction, and yet is exceptionally strong, durable and easy to operate.

A further object is to provide such an assemblage in which a double acting cylinder assembly adequately suffices to effect all required tilting of the load receiver, and to hold it against tilting when required.

Still further objects and advantages of the present invention will appear as the description proceeds.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, the invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims, the annexed drawings and the following description setting forth in detail certain means for carrying out the invention, such disclosed means illustrating, however, but several of various ways in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In the annexed drawings:

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings is a side elevation showing the invention connected with the vertically movable carriage of a tower type lift truck, the load receiver being shown in the form of a scoop.

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the scoop and mounting means of Figure 1, detached from the truck.

Figure 3 is a side elevation showing a load receiver in the form of a scoop-like fork which may be substituted for the scoop of Figures 1 and 2.

Figures 4 and 5 are respectively a side elevation and a top plan illustrating the manner in which a load receiver having two or more load engaging fingers may be embodied in the invention.

While preferred constructions have been disclosed in the drawings and will be rather specifically described herein, it is of course possible to make further variations within the scope of this invention.

In Figure l, the substantially upright trackway of a lift truck of the tower type is fragmentarily shown at '6, and a portion of the carriage movable along said trackway is illustrated at 1, said carriage including the customary upper and lower transverse horizontal bars 8 and 9, respectively. No illustration of trackway construction and no showing of carriage operating means have been given as they are conventional and well known and form no part of the present invention.

In Figures 1 and 2, a substantially rectangular metal plate It) has been shown, said plate [0 being disposed in a substantially vertical plane transverse to the truck and having its rear side in contact with the front sides of the carriage bars 8 and 9. This plate It is attached to the carriage by providing said plate with upper hook lugs H and lower bolt-actuated clamps l2 which engage the upper and lower edges, respectively, of the bar 3, said plate thus becoming virtually a part of the carriage.

Welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the plate H] are two arms 13 which project forwardly from the lower portion of said plate and are spaced apart laterally, each of said arms being preferably in the form of a substantially triangular plate as shown. A scoop I4 is disposed in front of these arms l3 and includes a back wall IE to which pairs of lugs l6 are welded or otherwise secured, said lugs straddling the front ends of said arms l3 and being pivoted thereto by means of aligned pins H, which permit tilting of the scoop l4.

Centrally between the arms l3, the scoop M is provided with a pair of rearwardly projecting 3 arms 18 disposed in closely spaced relation with each other. In the present disclosure, these arms 18 are formed of substantially triangular plates rigidly secured, as by welding, to a reinforcing bar l9 which is welded or otherwise secured to the back wall I of the scoop I4.

The upper portion of the plate In is provided with two forwardly projecting lugs 20 disposed above the rear ends of the arms l8, and the cylinder 2| of a double acting cylinder-and-pistonassembly 22 is pivotally suspended from said lugs 20, said cylinder having an upstanding lug 23 received between said lugs 28 and pivoted thereto by means of a pin 2d. The piston rod 25 extends downwardly from the piston 26 through a conventional stufiing box (not shown), and the lower end of said rod is received between the rear ends of the arms l8, said rod end and arms being connected by means of a pivot pin 21. Instead of a double acting cylinder assembly, a single acting cylinder assembly may be used although it will be a little slower in operation due to relying upon gravity to tilt the hopper downward.

One hose 2% is connected to the upper end of the cylinder 2 I, and a second hose 29 is connected to the lower end of said cylinder. These hoses extend through an opening in the plate 10 to a known type of hydraulic system on the truck, said system including an appropriate control valve whereby fluid under pressure may be supplied to either end of the cylinder and simultaneously returned from the other end. Thus, the single cylinder-and-piston assembly 22, located centrally with respect to the width of the truck, may be operated to effect all required tilting movements of the scoop and will also hold said scoop against tilting when advancing the truck to load the scoop and when elevating or transporting the loaded scoop.

In Figure 3, a load receiver is shown in the form of a scoop-like fork M which may be substituted for the scoop l4 above described. This fork comprises a back wall [5 in the form of a rectangular plate, bottom tines 30 and side tines 3!, said. tines being suitably secured to said back wall. The back wall Hi is provided with lugs and arms corresponding to the lugs I6 and arms I8 above described. One of the lugs appears at [6 and one of the arms at I8 In Figures 4 and 5, the load receiver embodies two forwardly projecting fingers 32 the rear ends of which are rigidly joined to vertical shanks 33, these shanks being suitably secured at B and 35 to a vertical back wall H3 in the form of a rectangular plate. This back wall is provided with two laterally spaced pairs of vertical flanges I6 and with a pair of rearwardly projecting arms i8, said arms being disposed between said pairs of flanges i8". These flanges preferably extend from the upper edge to the lower edge of the back wall E5 to reinforce said wall, and the arms 18 are preferably substantially triangular, with their front vertical dimension sufiiciently great to permit them to further reinforce said back wall. The lower ends of the flanges H5 are pivoted at i'i to the front ends of arms l3 which project rigidly forward from a vertical plate lil which corresponds to the plate I 6, said arms I3 being preferably substantially triangular a and having sufiicient vertical extent along said plate Hi to reinforce the latter. A cylinderand-piston assembly 22'" connects the arms 8 with lugs 28 on the plate In said assembly being pivoted at 2t to said lugs, and at '2?" to 4 said arms. The elements li and 52 on the plate iii correspond to elements H and 12 of plate 19 and serve for attaching said plate Ill to the vertically movable truck carriage such as i, above described.

From the foregoing and the accompanying drawings it will be seen that an unusually simple, inexpensive, and easily operable construction has been provided, without sacrificing strength, reliability, or durability; and attention is invited to the possibility of making minor variations within the scope of the invention such as using more than one cylinder assembly or various forms of the hopper assembly it, and it is to be considered that the drawings diagrammatically illustrate such equivalent constructions.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of those explained, change being made as regards the apparatus and combinations herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivaient of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

1. An attachment for a lifting and conveying truck having a substantially upright trackway at its front end, and a carriage movable along said trackway, which comprises a single wide and rigid plate disposed substantially centrally in front of and secured to said carriage for move ment therewith, said plate being positioned in a substantially vertical plane transverse to the truck, two elongated arms rigidly secured to and projecting forwardly from said plate at the lower portion of same, said arms being widely spaced apart transversely of the truck and respectively adjacent opposite sides of said plate, a scoop, pivot means for joining said scoop to the front ends of said arms for support and tilting movements of the scoop on said arms, at least one elongated and rearwardly projecting arm inde pendent of said scoop supporting arms rigidly secured to said scoop, said rearwardly projecting arm being disposed substantially centrally between said widely spaced and forwardly pro jecting arms of said rigid plate, a cylinder-andpiston assembly disposed vertically in front of said plate and located substantially centrally between said forwardly projecting arms, means pivotaliy connecting the upper end of said cylinder-and-piston assembly on the upper portion of said plate, means pivotally connecting the lower end of said cylinder-and-piston assembly to the rearwardly projecting arm of said scoop at a point out of line with the pivotal axis of said scoop to provide tilting leverage, and operating fluid-conducting means connected with the cylinder of said assembly, said scoop having a back wall, and a vertical reinforcing bar disposed centrally between the sides of said scoop and rigidly secured to the rear side of said back wall, said rearwardly projecting arm being secured to said reinforcing bar.

2. An attachment for a lifting and conveying truck having a substantially upright trackway at its front end, and a carriage movable along said trackway, which comprises a single wide and rigid plate disposed substantially centrally in front of and secured to said carriage for movement therewith, said plate being positioned in a substantially vertical plane transverse to the truck, two elongated arms rigidly secured to and projecting forwardly from said plate at the lower portion of same, said arms being 'widelyspaced apart transversely of the truck and respectively adjacent opposite sides of said plate, a scoop, pivot means for joining said scoop to the front ends of said arms for support and tilting move ments of the scoop on said arms, at least one elongated and rear-wardly projecting arm independent of said scoop supporting arms rigidl secured to said scoop, said rearwardly projecting arm being disposed substantially centrally between said widely spaced and forwardly projecting arms of said rigid plate, a cylinder-andpiston assembly disposed vertically in front of said plate and located substantially centrally between said forwardly projecting arms, means pivotally connecting the upper end of said cylinder-and-piston assembly on the upper portion of said plate, means pivotally connecting the lower end of said cylinder-and-piston assembly to the rearwardly projecting arm of said scoop at a point out of line with the pivotal axis of said scoop to provide tilting leverage, and operating fluid-conducting means connected with the cylinder of said assembly, said scoop having a back plate with forwardly projecting bottom and side tines, said side tines extending from the side portions of said plate above said bottom tines to produce a fork type scoop.

3. An attachment for a lifting and conveying truck having a substantially upright trackway at its front end, and a carriage movable along said trackway, which comprises a single wide and rigid plate disposed substantially centrally in front of and secured to said carriage for movement therewith, said plate being positioned in a substantially vertical plane transverse to the truck, two elongated arms rigidly secured to and projecting forwardly from said plate at the lower portion of same, said arms being widely spaced apart transversely of the truck and respectively adjacent opposite sides of said plate, a scoop, pivot means for joining said scoop to the front ends of said arms for support and tilting movements of the scoop on said arms, at least one elongated and rearwardly projecting arm independent of said scoop supporting arms rigidly secured to said scoop, said rearwardly projecting arm being disposed substantially centrally between said widely spaced and forwardly projecting arms of said rigid plate, a cylinder-andpiston assembly disposed vertically in front of said plate and located substantially centrally between said forwardly projecting arms, means pivotally connecting the upper end of said cylinderand piston assembly on the upper portion of said plate, means pivotally connecting the lower end of said cylinder-and-piston assembly to the rearwardly projecting arm of said scoop at a point out of line with the pivotal axis of said scoop to provide tilting leverage, and operating fluid-conducting means connected with the cylinder of said assembly, said scoop having a back Wall, and

said rearwardly projecting arm disposed substantially centrally of the back face of said scoop being of relatively Wide base substantially triangular form with said base vertically fitting and rigidly joined to the back wall of said scoop which it reinforces.

4. An attachment for a lifting and conveying truck having a substantially upright trackway at its front end, and a carriage movable along said trackway, which comprises a single wide and rigid plate disposed substantially centrally in front of and secured to said carriage for movement therewith, said plate being positioned in a substantially vertical plane transverse to the truck, two elongated arms rigidly secured to and projecting forwardly from said plate at the lower portion of same, said arms being widely spaced apart transversely of th truck and respectively adjacent opposite sides of said plate, a scoop, pivot means for joining said scoop to the front ends of said arms for support and tilting movements of the scoop on said arms, at least one elongated and rearwardly projecting arm independent of said scoop supporting arms rigidly secured to said scoop, said rearwardly projecting arm being disposed substantially centrally between said widely spaced and forwardly projecting arms of said rigid plate, a cylinder-and-piston assembly disposed vertically in front of said plate and located substantially centrally between said forwardly projecting arms, means pivotally connecting the upper end of said cylinder-and-piston assembly on the upper portion of said plate, means pivotally connecting the lower end of said oylinder-and-piston assembly to the rearwardly projecting arm of said scoop at a point out of line with the pivotal axis of said scoop to provid tilting leverage, and operating fluid-conducting means connected with the cylinder of said assembly, said scoop having a back wall, and wherein the loading edge of said scoop, said scoop pivots, and the forward axle of said truck are substantially in a common plane when said scoop is in lowered position, whereby eccentric loading forces are substantially avoided when the loading edge of said scoop is forced under the material to be loaded.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,413,661 Stokes Dec. 3 1946 2,421,472 Way June 3, 1947 2,427,301 Puim Sept. '9, 1947 2,437,010 Way Mar. 2, 1948 2,439,139 Le Tourneau Apr. 6, 1948 2,512,733 Andersen et al. June 27, 1950 2,5 7,085 Cirillo Aug. 1, 1950 2,553,531 Graves May 15, 1951 2,581,364 Cushman Jan. 8, 1952 2,625,278 Sensenbaugh Jan. 13, 1953 

